Support panel

ABSTRACT

Provided is an injection molded panel having a top side and a bottom side. The panel is configured with at least an elastic portion, the elastic portion including a plurality of undulating deformable strands intersecting with one another at rigid connecting locations, the rigid connecting locations alternatingly extending at opposite sides of the panel at alternating top peaks and bottom peaks, the peaks defining together the respective top side and the bottom side.

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

The present disclosed subject matter is concerned with a plastic moldedsupport panel.

BACKGROUND ART

References considered to be relevant as background to the presentlydisclosed subject matter are listed below:

-   -   U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,285    -   U.S. Pat. No. 7,455,365    -   U.S. Pat. No. 7,472,962    -   U.S. Pat. No. 7,794,022

Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred asmeaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of thepresently disclosed subject matter.

BACKGROUND

Acknowledgement of importance of the “comfort” provided by seating andresting surfaces has resulted in the design of seats comprising meansallowing the adaptation of such seats to the profile of the sitedperson. Flexible and/or deformable support panels intended to providecomfort are known in the art. Such panels are typically used for seatingor resting surfaces such as chair seats or backrests and provide adegree of flexibility and contouring the occupying body. These panelstructures are intended to enhance the user's comfort and furtherprovide for an ergonomic seating or resting surface.

Example of such support panels is disclosed e.g. in U.S. Pat. No.7,794,022 directed to a body support structure which includes a supportframe having at least first and second opposite side portions anddefining an opening therebetween. A molded elastomeric member isconnected to the first and second side portions and suspended over theopening. The molded elastomeric member includes a mechanical structuredecoupling the molded elastomeric member in first and second directionssuch that the molded elastomeric member has different load bearingcharacteristics in the first and second directions, wherein the firstdirection is different than the second direction. A method for forming aload bearing structure is also provided.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure calls for an injection molded panel configuredwith at least an elastic portion, said elastic portion comprising aplurality of undulating deformable strands intersecting with one anotherat rigid connecting locations, said rigid connecting locationsalternatingly extending at opposite sides of the pane.

The arrangement is such that applying force over the connectinglocations, i.e. a force having a vector component extending in adirection normal to the connecting locations, results in deformation ofthe deformable strands in a direction so as to increase the anglebetween the strands extending from a common connecting location facingthe direction of the applied force, namely increasing the angle betweenthe strands and said vector component. In accordance with thisembodiment, deformation of the strand portions extending between saidrigid connecting locations is such that upon applying force over asurface of the panel, a normal distance between top connecting locationsand the neighboring bottom connecting locations decreases, i.e. they arebrought closer one towards the other by increase in the angle betweenthe strands extending from the connecting locations. With the increaseof angle the panel elastically deforms and returns to its initialconfiguration upon the elimination of the applied force.

The elastic portion can be configured with a plurality of connectinglocations each configured of any practical number of strands extendingtherefrom.

A plastic injection molded panel configured with a top side and a bottomside, defined by a plurality of alternatingly extending rigid connectinglocations, wherein neighboring connecting locations are interconnect byundulating deformable strands.

According to a particular example, the disclosed subject matter isdirected to an injection molded panel comprising at least a portionconfigured with a plurality of undulating warp strands and a pluralityof undulating weft strands interlacing said warp strands, wherein thewarp strands and weft strands alternatingly intersect at a top side ofthe panel and at a bottom side of the panel, and whereby at locations ofintersection of the warp strands and weft strands they form together anintegrated, rigid connecting location, and wherein interconnecting warpstrand portions and weft strands portions extending between saidconnecting location are deformable.

Locations of intersection of the warp strands and weft strands extend atalternating top peaks and bottom peaks, said peaks defining together therespective top side and the bottom side.

According to another aspect of the present disclosed subject matterthere is a frame configured with an injection molded panel comprising atleast a portion configured with a plurality of undulating warp strandsand a plurality of undulating weft strands interlacing said warpstrands, wherein the warp strands and weft strands alternatinglyintersect at a top side of the panel and at a bottom side of the panel,and whereby at locations of intersection of the warp strands and weftstrands they form together an integrated, rigid connecting location, andwherein interconnecting warp strand portions and weft strands portionsextending between said connecting location are deformable.

The panel can be integrally molded with the frame or it can bearticulated thereto.

The frame can be coplanar with at least one of the top side and thebottom side of the panel.

According to yet an aspect of the present disclosed subject matter thereis a furniture article comprising at least a portion configured with aninjection molded panel comprising at least a portion configured with aplurality of undulating warp strands and a plurality of undulating weftstrands interlacing said warp strands, wherein the warp strands and weftstrands alternatingly intersect at a top side of the panel and at abottom side of the panel, and whereby at locations of intersection ofthe warp strands and weft strands they form together an integrated,rigid connecting location, and wherein interconnecting warp strandportions and weft strands portions extending between said connectinglocation are deformable.

The panel portion of the furniture article can constitute for example aseat portion of a chair, a back rest portion of a chair, a supportportion of a bed, or of an arm chair, etc.

Any one or more of the following features, designs and configurationscan be incorporated in the panel according to the disclosed subjectmater, in combinations or independently:

-   -   Elastic deformation of the interconnecting warp strands portions        and weft strands portions extending between said connecting        location is in a plane of the undulation of the warp strands        portions and weft strands portions, i.e. parallel to the vector        force applied; upon applying force over a surface of the panel,        a normal distance i.e. between top connecting locations and the        neighboring bottom connecting locations decreases;    -   The panel is made of a non-creeping material, such that upon        seizing of a load applied to the panel it assumes its original        shape;    -   The connecting locations are substantially rigid and        non-deformable;    -   The connecting locations are thicker than neighboring        interconnecting strands, such as the warp strand portions and        weft strands portions. According to a particular configuration,        the thickness of the connecting locations is about as thick as        the accumulated thickness of respective interconnecting warp        strand portions and weft strands portions;    -   The molded panel can resemble a wickerwork panel. According to a        particular example the molded panel can have a rattan-like        appearance;    -   The warp strands and weft strands can intersect at right angles;    -   The warp strands and weft strands can intersect at an angle;    -   The panel can be entirely flat or can have flat portions;    -   The panel can be shaped in conformity with agronomic parameters        such as to form a seat portion or a lumber and/or shoulder of a        back rest, deformed from the panel side;    -   Elasticity parameters of the panel can be controlled by        manipulating one or more features of the panel. For example, the        panel can be configured with uneven undulating patterns (e.g.        altering adulating amplitude), non-uniform thickness of the        interconnecting warp strand portions and weft strands portions        extending between the connecting locations, non-uniform width of        interconnecting warp strand portions and weft strands portions        extending between said connecting locations;    -   Elasticity parameters can be controlled by using multi-component        injection, whereby different portions of the panel can be molded        of different material compositions altering their elasticity;    -   Elasticity parameters of the panel can be uniform over the        entire panel or be different at one or more portions thereof.        The elasticity parameters can be uniform in directional sense,        or non-uniform. For example, the panel can be more elastic in        reaction to force components applied in one direction than to        force components applied in another direction;    -   The support panel can be articulated with a furniture item or an        addition thereto or a stand-alone panel for use in conjunction        with supporting surfaces. For example the support panel can        serve as a support panel cushioning over a seat (chair,        armchair, swing, wheelchair, bed, sofa, and the like);    -   At least some of the top peaks and the bottom peaks can be        smoothed/rounded for convenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosedherein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice,embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an example of a classic bistro chair comprising a supportpanel according to the present disclosed subject meter;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion marked II of a support seat ofthe chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a top perspective view of a portion of the support panel ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 3B is a bottom view of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the portion marked IV in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 5A is a side view taken from direction of arrow A in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 5B is a side view taken from direction of arrow B in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of the portion marked VII of FIG. 5A,however in a deformed configuration, upon applying force on the supportpanel;

FIG. 6B illustrates a portion marked VI of FIG. 5B, however uponapplying force on the support panel.

FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of a portion of FIG. 5A, however uponapplying force on the support panel, where a deformed and a non deformedlayers are superimposed;

FIG. 7B is a side view of FIG. 7A; and

FIG. 7C is similar to FIG. 7B, provided with contour lines for the topand bottom to surface plane of the panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated a bistro-type chairgenerally designated 10 configured with a seat portion 12 and a backrest 14.

The chair 10 is a mere example of a furniture item configured with asupport panel according to the present disclosure, and it is appreciatedthat such a support panel can be applied to a variety of furnitureitems, integrated therewith or detachably attachable thereto.Furthermore, it is to be noted that a support panel with which thedisclosure is concerned can be a so-called ‘stand-alone’ item, i.e.configured for applying over different structured such as, for example,a wheelchair seat, a therapeutic bed, a beach bed and the like.

Likewise, the support panel 12 illustrated hereinafter in greaterdetail, is a particular example of a support panel according to thepresent disclosure, and however it is appreciated that by no means thedisclosure is to be restricted thereto. In the particular example, theseat portion 12 comprises a support panel portion 20 and a peripheralframe 22 fixedly mounted over the four chair legs 16. Frame 22, asalready mentioned, can be integrated with the support panel portion 20or detachably articulated thereto, however in a sturdy manner.

As can be seen, best in the following drawings, the support panel 20configured as an elastic portion manufactured by injection molding, saidelastic portion comprising a plurality of undulating, deformable warpstrands 26 and woof strands 28, intersecting with one another at rigidconnecting locations 30, said rigid connecting locations 30alternatingly extending at opposite top side 32 and bottom side 34 ofthe support panel 20, wherein for sake of clarity top connectinglocations are designated as 30 _(T) and bottom connecting locations aredesignated 30 _(B), respectively (e.g. FIGS. 5 and 6). Locations ofintersection of the warp strands and weft strands extend at alternatingtop peaks 30 _(T) and bottom peaks 30 _(B), defining together therespective top face 32 and the bottom face 34 of the support panel 20.

The plurality of alternatingly extending rigid connecting locations 30are thus interconnected with neighboring connecting locations 30 by theundulating deformable warp strands 26 and weft strands 28, so as toimpart the support panel 20 with resilience, as will become apparenthereinafter. The connecting locations 30 are substantially rigid andnon-deformable.

The arrangement is such that at locations of intersection of the warpstrands 26 and weft strands 28, i.e. at the connecting locations 30,they form together an integrated, rigid and substantially solidconnecting location, whilst the interconnecting warp strand portions 26and weft strands portions 28, extending between neighboring connectinglocations 30 are deformable, that is flexible however to an extent so asto assume shape of the panel 20. According to one particular arrangementthe warp and weft strand portions are resilient (elastic, pliant) ascompared with the respective connecting locations 30 owing to theirthickness being lesser than that of the connecting locations 30 (bestseen in FIG. 4). According to a particular configuration, the thicknessof the connecting locations 30 is about as thick as the accumulatedthickness of respective interconnecting warp strand portions 26 and weftstrands portions 28. Also, the geometry (i.e. shape and cross-section)of the warp and weft strand portions can alter along their length andwidth, so as to impart the strands with the required resilience. It isalso appreciated that different zones of the panel may be imparted withdifferent resiliency, depending on the intended use thereof.

It is further appreciated that whilst in the exemplified drawings thesupport panel 20 is of uniform thickness, according to other forms (notshown) the thickness as well as pattern of the interconnecting warpstrand portions 26 and weft strands portions 28 may differ over thepanel. Likewise, whilst in the illustrations the arrangement is aclassic warp and weft like pattern, i.e. two warp strand portions 26 andtwo weft strands portions 28 extending from a respective connectinglocation 30, other configurations are possible too, with more or lessstrand portions extending from a respective connecting location (notshown).

With further reference being made in particular to FIGS. 5 to 7, themechanics of the system is demonstrated, wherein the arrangement is suchthat applying force F over the connecting locations 30, i.e. a forcehaving a vector component extending in a direction normal to theconnecting locations 30 (e.g. as a result of a person sitting on thechair 10) extending along plane P, results in deformation of thedeformable warp strand portions 26 and weft strands portions 28, in adirection so as to increase the angle between the strands extending froma common connecting location 30, namely increasing the angle between thestrands and said vector component wherein +>β (this is best seen inFIGS. 5A and 5B showing the α angle and FIGS. 6A and 6A showing the βangle). Simultaneously, as the warp strand portions 26 and weft strandsportions 28 deform, the panel deforms so that top surface 32′ and bottomsurface 34′ are now parallely deformed (seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B as wellas in FIGS. 7A and 7B). The distance between the connection location 30at the top peak and the adjacent connection location 30 bottom peakdecreases. Once the force F ceases the panel will reassume its originalshape. The panel 20 is made of a non-creeping plastic material, suchthat upon seizing of a load/force F applied to the panel 20 it assumesits original shape. It is noted that in FIGS. 7A and 7B there isillustrated superimposed a deformed layer D and a non-deformed layer UD,for sake of comparison and clarity only.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the deformation of the panel portion underthe force F applied in an axial direction, perpendicular to the surface32 of the panel portion. As seen in these illustrations and best seen inFIG. 7C, the non-deformed panel layer UD is superimposed over thedeformed layer D such that the edges E₁ and E₂ of the unaffected by theload portions of the panel coextend for the deformed and the undeformedpanels, thus clearly illustrating the degree of bending of the panelunder the applied load. It is further best seen in FIGS. 7B and 7C thedegree of tensioning and the compression of the bottom 34 and top 32surfaces, respectively, with the deformed surfaces identified by thesame numerals with added “‘”. i.e. 32’ and 34′. It is further seen thatupon deformation the distance Y between the warp and weft strands 26, 28extending from the top connection location 30 _(T) is expanded to Y′seen in the D layer, thus facilitating the tensioning of the bottomsurface 34′. The compression of the top surface 32′ is facilitated bythe shortening of the distance X extending between the warp and weftstrands extending from the bottom connection locations 30 _(B) to X′seen in layer D. FIG. 7C illustrates the deformation of the panel bycontouring the top and bottom surfaces is a cross section taken in theside view of the panel. It is clearly seen that Y′>Y and X′<X.

The presently disclosed support panel is plastic molded and thus avariety of parameters, features and shapes are controllable, impartingit different appearances and advantages. For example the support panelcan resemble a wickerwork panel. According to a particular example themolded panel can have a rattan-like appearance. The strands canintersect at right angles or at an angle. More so, the panel can beentirely flat or can have flat portions or shaped in conformity withagronomic parameters such as to form a seat portion or a lumber and/orshoulder of a back rest, deformed from the panel side, etc.

As already mentioned above, elasticity parameters of the panel can becontrolled by manipulating one or more features of the panel. Forexample, the panel can be configured with uneven undulating patterns(e.g. altering adulating amplitude), non-uniform thickness of theinterconnecting warp strand portions and weft strands portions extendingbetween the connecting locations, non-uniform width of interconnectingwarp strand portions and weft strands portions extending between saidconnecting locations. Elasticity parameters can be controlled by usingmulti-component injection, whereby different portions of the panel canbe molded of different material compositions altering their elasticity.Elasticity parameters of the panel can be uniform over the entire panelor be different at one or more portions thereof. The elasticityparameters can be uniform in directional sense, or non-uniform. Forexample, the panel can be more elastic in reaction to force componentsapplied in one direction than to force components applied in anotherdirection.

1.-14. (canceled)
 15. An injection molded support panel, having a topside and a bottom side configured with at least an elastic portion, saidelastic portion comprising a plurality of undulating warp strands and aplurality of undulating weft strands interlacing said warp strands andintersecting with one another at rigid connecting locations, said rigidconnecting locations alternatingly extending at opposite sides of thepanel at alternating top peaks and bottom peaks, said peaks definingtogether the respective top side and the bottom side, wherein thesupport panel is configured for applying to a furniture item.
 16. Theinjection molded panel of claim 15, wherein the warp strands and weftstrands alternatingly intersect at a top side of the panel and at abottom side of the panel, and wherein interconnecting warp strandportions and weft strands portions extending between said connectinglocation are deformable.
 17. The injection molded panel of claim 15,wherein deformation of the strand portions extending between said rigidconnecting locations is parallel to the vector force applied such thatupon applying force over a surface of the panel, a normal distancebetween top connecting locations and the neighboring bottom connectinglocations decreases.
 18. The injection molded panel of claim 15, whereinthe panel is made of a non-creeping material, such that upon seizing ofa load applied to the panel it assumes its original shape.
 19. Theinjection molded panel of claim 15, wherein the connecting locations arenon-deformable.
 20. The injection molded panel of claim 15, whereindifferent portions of the panel are molded of different materialcompositions to provide controlled elasticity parameters of the panel.21. The injection molded panel of claim 15, wherein the elasticityparameters of the panel is (i) uniform over the entire panel, (ii)different at one or more portions thereof, or (iii) directionallyuniform.
 22. The injection molded panel of claim 15, wherein the atleast some of the top peaks and the bottom peaks are smoothed/roundedfor convenience.
 23. The injection molded panel of claim 15, wherein thewarp strands and the weft strands intersect at right angles.
 24. Theinjection molded panel of claim 15, wherein the interconnected warpstrands and the weft strands form a wickerwork-like panel.
 25. Theinjection molded panel of claim 15, configured with a frame.
 26. Theinjection molded panel of claim 25, wherein the frame is integrallymolded with the panel or articulated thereto.